2.  Introduction  Definition  History (politic, economy, culture)  Geography  Jamaican flag  Gastronomy  Curiosities (Jamaican artists, hosting & what to avoid)  Conclusion  Bibliography

3.  This work portrays one of the most well-known English- speaking countries in the world, Jamaica is an island nation located in the Caribbean Sea, extensive 234 km, is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, surpassed only by the United States and Canada. Its capital and largest city is Kingston, however, will be referred to the following important points: concept, history, beliefs, politics, geography, demographics, culture, among others, will be objective in this work to obtain more knowledge, eliminating any doubts and convey a clear message about what is Jamaica really.

4.  Jamaica is an island nation located in the Caribbean Sea, extensive to 234 kilometers from East to West and 80 kilometers from North to South. It is about 145 miles south of Cuba, and 190 kilometers west of the island of Hispaniola. It is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, surpassed only by the United States and Canada. Its capital and largest city is Kingston.

5.  Ethnological studies show that the name Xamayca (land of springs) was given to the Caribbean island by Arawak, due to the abundance of existing sources in its lush forests.  Jamaica was discovered by Spain after Christopher Columbus arrived in 1494. Cheney used the island as a private property of his family. The British conquered it in 1670. During the first 200 years of British rule, Jamaica became the world's largest exporter of sugar, what has been achieved by the massive use of African slave labor.  Over the years that followed, the degree of autonomy of Jamaica was increasing and, in 1958, Jamaica became a province of an independent nation called West Indies Federation. The Jamaica left the Federation in 1962 and is today a fully sovereign nation.

6.  The Jamaica is a parliamentary monarchy and the head of State is the monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The monarch's representative in Jamaica is the Governor General, whose role passing laws and other State functions. To a large extent, the monarch (through its representative, the Governor-General) is a ceremonial figure, and the little real power they have is reserved for times of crisis. The Jamaican Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of representatives (House of Representatives) and the Senate. Currently the monarch of Jamaica is Queen Elizabeth II, and the current Governor General is Patrick Allen.

7.  In terms of economy, Jamaica stands out for the following resources:  Agriculture products: sugarcane, corn, cassava, coffee, cocoa, citrus fruits, bananas and tobacco.  Minerals: the country is the world's fourth largest producer of bauxite.  Industry: food, textiles, cement, agricultural machinery and the famous Jamaican rum.  Tourism: the Jamaica attracts millions of tourists for its lush scenery in flora and fauna, sunny beaches and an infrastructure that offers good hotels, coastal resorts and efficient transport and communications system.

8.  The Jamaican culture is characterized by syncretism resulting from the mix of various peoples who have inhabited the island since the early days of its discovery by Spaniards in the seventeenth century. The native Arawak joined the Spanish Latino, black Africans, the British, who dominated the island later and immigrants who moved there after the extinction of the slave regime. Religion and music are the most iconic cultural elements of Jamaica. The country is the cradle of the Rastafarian and Reggae-music, two expressions of identity subjectivity that are closely linked. The Rastafarian religion represents a unique reaction against the standards imposed by the European religion spirituality.

9.  The Jamaica is part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. It is separated from Hispaniola by the Jamaica channel. Their lands are the peaks jutting out of a chain of underwater mountains. The tropical climate reaches rainfall of up to 5000 mm. Hydrography is rich in streams and waterfalls. Are major rivers: the Rio Grande, the Wag, the Black River, North of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the River Cabarita. Its culmination is the Blue Mountain, in the East of the island with more than 2,000 yards.

10.  The Jamaican flag was adopted on August 6, 1962, who is also Jamaica's independence day. The flag consists of the color green, gold and black, which symbolize:  Green represents hope for the future and agricultural wealth.  Gold represents sunlight and natural wealth of the country.  Black symbolizes the strength and creativity of the Jamaican people.

11.  Meet Jamaica also means surrender to the local cuisine, which offers a unique and very popular seasoning. As well as the phrase "A single people out of many", this explains the origin of the Jamaican people, the cuisine also blends the flavors and techniques of many countries. The foundation of Jamaican cuisine is the pepper, or "allspice", native to the country. Most of the dishes are spicy and with strong seasonings. The condiment is used in most foods, including in the preparation of the "jerk", a dish where the pork, chicken or fish is seasoned with a mixture of ingredients and then baked in a wood-burning stove fueled with wood.

12.  Jamaica is the bornplace of many famous people that we know nowadays,famous artists such as Sean Paul, Sean Kingston, Ziggy Marley, Domian Marley, Bob Marley, famous players like Martine Beswick, Roger Cross, Madge Sinclair, Evan Parke, Lester Speight, and some famous athletes like Usain Bolt, James Beckford, Yohan Blake and Aleen Bailey.

13.  The Jamaica has an excellent hotel infrastructure. Most Resorts offers the system "all inclusive" with all drinks meals, as well as leisure. If you want to know the island recommend rent a taxi (the Red registration are legal taxis) and negotiate the day, seen getting a lot cheaper than the price of the tours offered by hotels.

14.  Drugs, including marijuana, that despite being part of the culture of Jamaica, is prohibited by law since 1913. Despite all the natives smoke, try to quit smoking in restricted sites, due to undercover police.  Attend campgrounds or dark, without the company of a reliable guide.  Go to the beach without sunscreen.  Caribbean mosquitoes if not put repellent they are able to chop the whole body.  Roads at night  Losing patience.

15.  Summarizing and concluding we reaffirm that Jamaica is one of the most well-known English-speaking countries in the world. The Jamaica is an island nation located in the Caribbean Sea, extensive to 234 kilometers from East to West and 80 kilometers from North to South. It is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, surpassed only by the United States and Canada. Its capital and largest city is Kingston.  With regard to its historicity, Jamaica was discovered by Spain after Christopher Columbus arrived in 1494. Cheney used the island as a private property of his family. The British conquered it in 1670. This was followed by a series of riots and, in 1838, slavery was formally abolished. Over the years that followed, the degree of autonomy of Jamaica was increasing and, in 1958, Jamaica became a province of an independent nation called West Indies Federation. The Jamaica left the Federation in 1962 and is today a fully sovereign nation.  All these features are part of the vast gallery of qualities and wealth of the country we call JAMAICA.

16.  On this work we had some bibliographic references to help our research:  Internet site: – http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica  Book: – Dicionário Português Porto Editora